Grain-stacking apparatus.



A. D. ADKINSON & L. GADZ.

GRAIN STAGKING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1909.

533% Patented Apr.5,1910.

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A. D. ADKINSON & L. OADY. GRAIN STAGKING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR, 29, 1909.

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A. D. ADKINSON & L. OADY.

GRAIN STAGKING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1909. 53 5? Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

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A. D. ADKINSON 3; L. GADY.

GRAIN STAOKING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1909. ggg g'yg Patented Apr. 5, 191-0.

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ALPHEUS I). ADKINSON AND LEROY CADY, OF GLASCO, KANSAS.

GRAIN-STACKING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 19111).

Application filed March 29, 1909. Serial No. 486,607.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALriinUs D. Ann'rN- 1 SON and LEROY CADY, citizensof the United States, residing at Glasco, in the county of Cloud andState of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGrain-Stacking Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hay stacking or loading apparatus and has forits object to produce a portable stacker equipped with a pivotedelevator and means for adjusting same to discharge at differentaltitudes and composed of sections which may be folded together forconvenience of transportation or storage.

A further object is to produce a stacker of the character outlined,equipped with a conveyer adapted to occupy an operative or inoperativerelation to the stacker and which when in operative position, willefliciently and reliably supply the elevator with the material to bestacked.

A still further object is to produce a header box, means whereby theheader box may be secured in operative relation to the stacker, andmeans whereby the load of the header box may be automatically dischargedonto the conveyer.

A still further object is to produce apparatus of the character outlinedof comparatively simple and inexpensive construction, and which alsopossesses the desirable features of strength and durability.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel and peculiar features of construction and organization ashereafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fullyunderstood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure l, is a top plan view of a stacker embodying our invention, and aheader box especially adapted for use in connection with the stacker.Fig. 2, is a front view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is avertical section on the line IHIII of Fig. 2. Fig. 4, is a verticaltransverse section of the stacker with the elevator folded and theconveyer in inoperative position, the section being taken through theelevator and con'veyer. Fig. 5, is an enlarged section showing theadjacent ends of the winding drum or shaft of the feeder box and a shafti of the stacker. Fig. 6, is a top plan view of a belt-tensioning lever.Fig. 7, is a detail perspective view of the end-gate of the header-box.

In the said drawings, 1 indicates a wheeled-truck of any suitable type,but preferably having its front wheels 2 journaled on bell-crankssuitably mounted and connected by a cross bar 1- to compel the wheels toturn sidewise together, bar 1 having a pin-and-slot connection with awormthreaded lever 5 suitably mounted and adapted to be turned to adjustsaid wheels sidewise by the worm (3 of a shaft '7 adapted to be turnedthrough any suitable gearing, not shown, by the steeringwheel 8. Therear wheels 9 are rigidly secured on the ends of a suitably journaledrear shaft 10, equipped with sprocket wheels 11 connected by chains 12with sprocket wheels 13 on a suitably-journaled transverse shaft 1%.

15 is a worm-wheel journaled on shaft 14; and provided with an ordinaryclutch-member, not shown, adapted to be engaged by a companionclutclimember 16 mounted in the usual manner to slide but not rotate onshaft 11, and adapted to be thrown into or out of gear with theworm-wheel 15 by the hand-lever 17, fulcrumed on a bracket 18 carried bythe truck.

19 is a worm meshing with and adapted to rotate worm-wheel l5 and hencewhen the clutch members are in engagement, propel the wheeled-truck.orin 19 is mounted on the longitudinal shaft 20 of a suitable engine 21mounted on the truck, said shaft being journaled at one end in a bearing22 journaled on shaft 10 or otherwise supported. It is also journaled ina pair of bearings 28 mounted on the base of a derrick carried by thetruck, the base of said derrick being numbered 24 and the stand ards atopposite ends of the same, 25 and 26, the latter attaii'iing a greateraltitude than the former, and said standards are respectively braced by.inclined brace-bars 27 and 28.

Mounted. upon the front end of shaft 20 is a belt-wheel 29, connected bya belt 30 to a second belt-wheel 31 on the front end of a shaft 32journaled in bearings 33 mounted upon the base of the derrick. Sccuredon the opposite end of shaft 32 is a worm 34 meshing with a worm-wheel35 on a short transversely-arranged shaft 36 1 1, 2 and 3, it isprovided with a pair of journaled in bearings 37 carried by the base ofthe derrick. A shaft 32 also carries a sprocket wheel 38 connected by achain 39 with a sprocket wheel at) on a shaft 5L1 journaled in bearings42 mounted on the adjacent extremity of the base of the derrick.

An inclined elevator for stacking or loading hay at varying altitudes ashereinafter explained, consists of a pair of frames i3 and 4A of U-shapein cross section and arranged end to end and hinged together at 45, sothat the extension frame t1 may fold back under the main or body frameet3. The said frames are equipped with an endless conveyer, consistingof a pair of endless chains t6 engaging a pair of sprocket wheels at? onshaft 32 and a pair of sprocket wheels tS on a shaft at) extendingacross the free end of frame 1% beyond the bottom of said frame, thechains extending completely around the bottoms of said frames and beingconnected together by cross slats 50, which slats in their travel in theframes are adapted to carry hay or other material and discharge the samefrom the upper end of frame eta. hen the elevator is folded toinoperative position, that is when frame at is folded back under framee3 as shownin Fig. a, the slack in the chains is adapted to be taken upby folding or doubling it below the elevator and resting the folded ordoubled portion upon a plate 51 bridging the truck.

52 indicates a pair of guide-sheaves carried by and at the inner sidesof the upper ends of standards 26, and engaging said sheaves are cables53 secured at their outer ends at 54 to frame std, and at their innerends in standards 25. Said shaft or drum is equipped at one end with agearwheel 56 meshing with a gear-pinion 57 secured on a short shaft 58journaled in one of the standards 25 and provided with a crank-handle59. vShaft 58 is also equipped with a ratchetwheel 60 engaged by agravity pawl 61 carried the said standard, said ratchetwheel and pawlpermitting the winding of the cables on the drum but preventingunwinding movement unless the pawl is tripped from engagement with thewheel. By the manipulation of the crank-handle in the proper direction,the cables 53 are wound upon the drum and the outer end of the elevatoris raised.

Pivoted on shaft 41 is a frame 62 carrying a shaft 63 at its oppositeend,having a pair of sprocket-wheels (it connected by chains 65 tosprocket-wheels (36 on shaft 41, and connecting the chains arecross-slats 67 so as to constitute an endless conveyer for feedingbaling material onto the lower end of the elevator. To pivotally raisethe frame 62 to the inoperative position shown in Fig. et, and lower itto the operative position shown in Figs.

upwardly-projecting arms (38 equipped with a bad (if) to which isattached one end. of

cable 70 extending over a guide-sheave 71 upper ends of standards 26,the opposite end of said cable extending downward and being adapted forattachment to a projection of the rear standard 25, Fig. 1, for thepurpose of limiting the downward movement of frame (32. \Yhen it isdesired to raise said frame (32 to inoperative position, the cable isdetached from projection 73, and the operator pulls upon the free end ofthe cable and secures the frame in such inoperative position byreengaging the cable with said projection.

71 is a link pivoted to the front side of frame (32 and extending overshaft 41 toward the truck and pivoted at its opposite end to a bentlever 75 see especially Fig. (3 fulcrum-ed at 76 on the outer side ofthe adjacent standard 25, said lever terminating at its free end in afork 77 arranged astride of the lower strand of belt 30 and equippedwith an idler roll 78 engaging the underside of said strand, thearrangement being such that when frame 62 occupies its horizontal oroperative position its link operates the lever T5 and causes the roll 78of the latter to press upwardly against and thus tension belt 30sufficiently to cause the same to en gage belt-wheel 31 with sufficientfriction to drive it. lvhen frame (32 is swung to its vertical orinoperative position link Ti rocks the lever in the opposite directionto permit belt 30 to slacken and thus be capable of operation withoutimparting motion to belt-wheel 31 and the endless conveyers of theelevator and frame (52.

To operate in conjunction with the machine described, we provide aheader box mounted upon wheels 75) and adapted to be drawn by horses,the box comprising a bottom 80, a frontwall 81 and side walls 82 and 83,side wall 82, by preference, projecting to a greater height than sidewall 83. The bottom of the box occupies a higher plane than the frame 62when the latter is in its operative position, and mounted at the rearend of said bottom is a guide-roller Set for a pair of cables 85 whichextend forwardly and below the bottom are attached to a. winding-shaftor drum 8G journaled in bearings 87 secured to the bottom of the box,the front or upper ends of the cables being attached to a drag-frame,consisting of a cross-bar 88 having a pair of hori ontal arms 89provided with wheels or rollers 90 resting on the bottom of the box topermit the drag-frame to be moved with the least possible friction. Atone end shaft or drum 86 has a threaded opening 91, Fig. 5, and saidshaft is adapted to aline endwis-e with the shaft 36, a sleeve 92 beingemployed to bridge the joint between said shafts. The shaft 86 isprovided with a threaded opening 93 corresponding to the said opening ofshaft 86, and the sleeve is equipped with a pair of'cap-screws 94. and95 to engage said openings 91 and 93 and thus secure shafts 36 and 86rigidly together so that the rotation of the former shall impart likemovement to the latter and thus Wind cables upon shaft or drum and causethe drag- :lt'rame to move from the front to the rear end of the box andforce the contents of the latter onto the said feed-conveyer, as theframe 62 and the chain conveyer thereof, is hereinafter identified.

When the header box is being loaded or drawn across a field, the sleeve92 is carried by shaft or drum 86 and is preferably held reliablythereon by causing cap screw to engage threaded opening 91, and whilebeing loaded or drawn in loaded condition to the stacker machine,hereinbefore described, its rear end is closed by an endgate 96, whichis preferably hinged as shown at 97, to the rear end of side wall 82, soas to be capable of being swung outward to inoperative position (seeFig. 1) when the header box is to be disposed in operative relation tothe feed eonveyer. To dispose it in such position, said conveyer isswung to inoperative position and the header box is moved in thedirection indicated by the arrow, Fig. 1, to a position slightly aheadof that shown in said figure. The feedconveyer is then lowered and theheader box is backed up against it until shafts 36 and 86 are inalinement and close together. The cap-screw 95 is then unscrewed fromopening 91 and the sleeve is slid on shaft 86 until it embraces theadjacent end of shaft 36 and the cap-screws 94- and 95 are in respectivealinement with openings 91 and 93, into which openings they are screwedto secure the shafts together, it being of course understood that thestacker and header box will be checked in any suitable manner, so as tobe incapable of movement during the stack ing operation.

Assmning that the parts are arranged as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, theshaft 14 is thrown out of gear with the engine shaft by the propermanipulation of lever 17, as hereinbefore explained. The engine is thenstarted up and through belt 30 imparts movement to the elevator and feedconveyers, at the same time through mechanism described, causing thedrag-frame to move rear ardly in the header-box and discharge thecontents thereof onto the feed-conveyer, which in turn conducts suchmaterial to the elevator which discharges it from its upper end into a.vehicle or receptacle or upon the ground. In the latter case, theelevator is raised at intervals to accommodate the height of the growingstack, and if it is desired, the stack may be of any length by throwingshaft 14 in gear, at intervals, with the engine to effect movement ofthe truck. Vhen the header box is emptied, it is moved off to receive asecond load and in the interim one or more other header boxes may besuccessively arranged in operative relation to the stacker and unloaded.It will be apparent of course, that one stacker of this type willaccommodate a number of header boxes and that consequently the stackingoperation can be performed with great celerity. hen. the stacker is tobe moved any material distance, the elevator will preferably be raisedto its greatest height and the extension as will be folded down underthe main or body portion, the feed conveyer being also raised to itsinoperative position. iy thus arranging the parts the stacker can bemoved with little danger of inju1;y,.and with no dilliculty be causethere is no tendency for it to overbalance and thus impose more strainon one side of the derrick than the other.

From the above description it will be apparent that we have produced ahay stacking or loading apparatus embodying the features enumerated asdesirable in the statement of the object of the invention, and which isobviously susceptible of modification in various particulars withoutdeparting from the principle and scope or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters-Patent, is;

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a truck, a derrickmounted thereon,

an elevator pivoted to and extending transversely of the derrick, andembodying an endless conveyer, means for pivotally raising or loweringthe elevator, and a feed conveyer pivoted at one end to the derrickadjacent the pivoted. end of the elevator and consisting of a frame andan endless con veyer, a driven wheel, a wheel rotatable with theelevator conveyer, a belt connecting said wheels, means for transmittingmotion from said conveyer to the feed conveyer, a lever, and meanswhereby downward movement of the said feed-conveyor shall cause saidlever to tension said belt.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a truck, a derrickmounted. thereon, an elevator pivoted to and extending transversely ofthe derrick, and embodying an endless conveyer, means for pivotally'aising or lowering the elevator, a feed conveyor pivot-ed at one end tothe derrick adjacent the pivoted end of the elevator and consist ing ofa frame and an endless conveyer, a driven wheel, a wheel rotatable withthe elevator conveyer, a belt connecting said wheels, means fortransmitting motion from said conveyzr t0 the feed conveyer, a lever Intestim'oiq whereof We affix our signa and a link pivoted to thefeed-convex'ei and hires in presence of two Witnesses. to said lever andadapted to operate the lat- ALPHEUS D. ADKINSON. ter and cause if totension the said belt or LEROY CAD'Y;

5 permit the same to slncken accordingly ax Vitnesses:

the feefl-conveyer occupies its operative 01" H. JORDAN, lnoperativeposltlon. E. JORDAN.

